Pardew Struggles For Answers To Tough Questions – Transcript

Written by Dr. Ed Harrison

8:39am Monday, February 3rd, 2014

Commented 44 times

Alan Pardew was asked a number of questions in the last round of interviews he has done, after another humiliating loss to Sunderland, and of course he’s been asked about the mess in the transfer market – Alan is not responsible for that – and he found it hard to answer the questions he was asked – which centered around the selling of Yohan Cabaye.

Alan Pardew – struggles to answer questions This is the transcript that is doing the rounds today in a number of newspapers this morning – it’s definitely worth a read:

Question: It’s a tough question to ask you but is the club, as it stands, capable of making permanent signings?

Pardew: “Well …”

Press officer: “I think that’s an unfair one to ask the manager.”

Question: But it’s two transfer windows without one now and Alan said …”

Pardew: “I’ve got no comment to make on that one.”

Question: You said at the start of last week that the club can’t not replace Yohan, but that’s exactly what happened.

Pardew: “I didn’t particularly say in this window though. I said, you know, we’ve got to get players of that class, there’s no doubt about that. So don’t try and angle that for this window because I think that’s unfair on me.”

Question: You said ‘we need to bring someone in, for sure. We can’t lose someone of his quality and not replace him. That would leave us vulnerable’. Do you stand by that?

Pardew: “Well, I’ve said it, ain’t I? But I’m meaning in the long-term as well as the short-term, that it’s the quality we need. And, you know, today has been a tough day for us and I don’t really want to add any more to it, to be honest.”

Question: Part of the problem you’ve got is that if you don’t speak out against not getting a replacement it makes it look as though you’re going along with the decisions the board is making and therefore you get criticism heaped on your shoulders and take the blame for that.

Pardew: “Yeah, I’m a professional manager. You know, if I was in charge, solely, of transfers, the answer might be different, but I’m not.”

Question: It does feel sometimes that you’re being asked to manage with your hands tied behind your back.

Press officer: “These are all quite unfair questions.”

Question: Unfortunately the manager is the only person who will speak for the club.

Silence.

Question: Alan, is there a collective blame for today, from the top of the club, right down to on the pitch?

Pardew: “The only way I can answer what has happened today is that it’s a disappointing day for the club.”

Question: What do you say to Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear when you’re having those discussions on Friday and it’s clear you’re not going to get a replacement for Cabaye? Do you make your opinions clear on that?

Pardew: “I think I’ve made my opinion very clear this week and all the rest of it is confidentiality.”

Question: How do you lift yourself?

Pardew: “I’ll be alright.”

Alan walks off.

The truth in all of this is Alan has been put in a corner to answer questions that should be answered by Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear, and he’s being very careful not to say anything against the regime.

That’s how Alan started his career at Newcastle – by being alone in that press conference and fielding questions from the media in early December, 2010, on why Chris Hughton was fired.

But we think behind the scenes Alan is simply furious with what Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear did to the club last week – as we reported last night – they’ve just sabotaged Newcastle’s season by selling our top players and not replacing him.

And according to Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan – Alan’s not shy in letting Mike Ashley know his opinions – but he does it behind the scenes – like he should do.

Joe Kinnear should come out and answer those questions on what has happened in the last two transfer markets.

Well – on second thoughts maybe not. 😀

One last thought on Joe – we wonder how many times he uses the F word when he’s negotiating with other clubs for players – maybe that explains why we have no permanent signings since he moved in?

44 comments so far

I have to say though, how can AP say anything at all when Newcastle’s PR office intercedes and basically gags him. The stopped him answering questions about not replacing Cabaye in his last interview, and in the end he just walked out.

OK lads…if you’re all so sure he could get another job in a flash (personally I don’t but lots of you think he could)…then why would anyone in Pardews position stick around??? why would anyone with an ounce of self respect not tell fat boy where to go when being treated like this…what’s so precious about this job making out so difficult to let go.

answers on a post card

He’s only still there because he’s shackled to club…Ashley has something on him and has him by the balls…it’s called a debt

As has been stated before, I think we should be careful what we wish for.

Fashley and Jokenear have much to answer for but are too cowardly to do the answering and leave Pardew swinging in the wind.

For those of you who say that Pardew is an idiot for not speaking out and or walking out what would that achieve for us ? It would achieve something for Pardew – he would have a terrible burden lifted off his shoulders and he’d get plenty of compensation moneywise to go along with that.

Like him or loathe him, no-one can deny he’s acted with class and decorum under very difficult circumstances. He reminds me of Chris Hughton in this respect.

Well hopefully T4C laid down the foundations and showed that there is a group of people who care enough about the club and now that Malevolent Mike has shown his hand maybe people will get behind them instead of dismissing them as a tinpot organisation, and for all those advocating a boycott who can’t attend games anyway, why not donate a couple of quid to help pay for planning permission, banners etc.

It would be nice to see some video and Alan’s body language during the interview, but from the transcript I’d have to say this is the 1st time that Pardew has actually seemed like a “yes man” to me in the sense that he’s refusing to speak on Ashley’s the lack of transfer investment.

Before, he’s been rather direct about us not doing what’s necessary to show the fans and players ambition (albeit in a diplomatic way, MA is still his boss after all).

To me the last part sounds like frustration coupled with restraint while trying to not completely target the Joker and Mashley,

i dont think he can walk and get compo. Only if he gets sacked. Either way, if he goes, we have jfk till the end of the season at least. It seems to me AP has all sorts of restrictive things in his contract. Maybe if he speaks out against things he would be in breach of contract and therefore could be sacked with no compo. Not even the most mean spirited person could expect him tonwalk away with nothing. He has dependants after all

it is still a gamble. One i would not take. I would not want to risk leaving my family without a steady income, even of the numbers in football are inflated, they have a lifestyle they are accustomed.to and it is not really thier fault that fat man is a tw@

calm down. Pardew is by no means the only manager to have said and done things like that. He only recieves critisism because people dont like him. And just because i have made this statement, how does it mean i am in a Pardew Protection League?? I am just stating how i see it. I think you should try and post without trying to so inflamatory. It brings this place down

Reading this interview it’s hard not to feel sorry for Pardew. He’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. He’s the only one at the club that gives press conferences and yet has no control over the buying or selling of players. We’re a joke thanks to Kinnear’s appointment and if he goes and a good DOF comes in we may be able to rectify some of this…..but Ashley won’t let his pet gimp go.

It’s going to be like the US. Franchisees can just up sticks and disappear to a different city if they feel like it. We might have to reconstruct NUFCin the image we want… It might be a long hard process but infinitely more interesting than relying on some money bags. Joke in ear has absolutely no self respect. Money fills that space for him. Empty vessel.

Just read that before the game on Saturday Sammy Ameobi was sick, and doubtful to play…. Why on earth did he play then?? He is hardly a major talent that even at 80% would be a game changer in the Prem.

Sparky, Clutching at straws ??? You don’t think it’s at all possible that he knows the full extent of Mashleys plans and there’s a bonus at the end for going along with it, sounds a lot more plausible than running up a huge debt in a casino.

I have to say, whilst not being a Pardew fan in the slightest, in his recent media comments and interviews he seems the most demoralised and despondent that I have ever seen him. I think the strain of working within these shackles is starting to wear thin for him.

I think he is complicit in all of it, he knew exactly what he was getting into, but maybe he is finding it tougher than he envisaged. I think the slightest sniff of a different job opportunity he would be gone, providing any club is willing to pay off another 6 years of his contract to Ashley…

T4C is a coalition of a number of fans groups who helped facilitate the march rather than one fan group in itself. By getting involved with MAOC you would actively be involved in a process that could see another T4C event in the future – hopefully that clears up any confusion.

Markaccus, true there are probably all kind of restrictive things in his contract about speaking out and walking away, particularly after Fashley got burned by Keegan.

Sparky, that outburst was not classy, I agree with you. However Pardew has been offered up as a sacrificial goat on far too many occasions and if you read the transcript it’s very obvious that the press are not having a go at him and are asking him “How can you pick yourself up..? It’s quite clear where the perceived fault lies and I though the reply that unfortunately Pardew is the only one that speaks was excellent.

However i stand by my statement that I think he acts with decorum and class when he is put under the microscope at presss conferences and is asked questions about mattes that to be fair to him, he has no control over.

Do I always agree with Pardews tactics? No. Would I employ different tacttics and drop players that are not performing? Yes.

Do I think Pardew is a useless manager? No. Do I think that any manager will ever be universally acclaimed and all of their choice of tactics embraced? No.

That is what makes this sport such a great one to follow, it’s what makes debate with supporters of your own team and others worthwhile. It’s what helps to generate passion and that’s all to the good.

Personally I do not think we will ever amount to more than a midtable team under Fashley. His business model is too clear. Hi priorities too skewed towards Finance without any emphasis on a high league finish.

Is that Pardews fault ? Do we blame him for playing the cards he’s been dealt ? Would anyone else make more with what we have and if they did would there be any further investment in players at all or would we rely on the youth team to fill the cracks and gaps completely ?

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health update

My latest bone scans and CAT scans were completed on Wednesday of this week and yesterday I met with my oncologist Dr. Dhruva to look over the results.

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I was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in early 2017 after being in remission for six years.

The cancer metastasized through the bones to different parts of the body and the treatment I am undergoing is hormone treatment.

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I am upbeat with the results and remain in awe of the doctors and nurses at the Rex Cancer Center here in Raleigh.

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Ed Harrison

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